


Le Beau Et La Bete Noire

by danceswithgary



Category: Smallville
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon, Drama, Dubious Consent, M/M, Red Kryptonite, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2007-12-09
Updated: 2007-12-09
Packaged: 2017-10-03 21:10:45
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 17,643
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22271
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/danceswithgary/pseuds/danceswithgary
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Washed up on a beach, Lex Luthor meets a dark stranger who will change his life forever. This is not the Disney version, folks. You've been warned.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Le Beau Et La Bete Noire

  
**Prologue**

 

Sounds intrude, inform him that he is somewhere new, the low buzz of conversation and the beep and chirr of machines a jarring change from the susurration of waves and chatter of birds. Too tired to try to open his eyes, he catalogues his injuries internally, thankful that an ill-advised movement delivers a jolt of pain instead of the threatened absence of a limb.

His groan brings footsteps to his side. "Are you awake? Can you hear me, sir?"

Cracked and dry, his lips part with difficulty. "Kal...."

"Here's an ice chip. Let's see if that will help."

"Kal...where?"

"Is that your name? We have you down as a John Doe."

A warm cloth soothes away the crusts that mat his eyelashes together and he blinks up into a concerned face, soft gray curls above eyes that have seen many things, yet still smile with kindness. He turns his head to see another hospital bed next to his, its occupant snoring with the thick tones of the aged and ill. Returning his gaze to the owner of the gentle voice, he swallows with difficulty and tries again. "Where am I?"

"You're in Metropolis General Hospital, dear. Someone brought you into the Emergency Room, but whoever it was didn't stay long enough to give us your name. You were a very sick man, but you're getting better." She turns away to check the various machines attached to him, nodding in satisfaction. "Yes, definitely improving. Now, can you tell me your name so we can try to reach someone for you?"

Accepting another ice chip, he lets it moisten the parched tissues of his mouth before rasping out an answer. "Alexander J. Luthor. I'm Lex Luthor."

With a gasp, the white-clad nurse staggers back, eyes wide with surprise. "That's why you look so familiar! But you've been missing...I'm sorry, sir. I'll go get the doctor, and we'll contact your father right away."

Sighing, he closes his eyes and re-enters the darkness...hoping...wishing that now were the dream and the other place, reality. The sounds fade as gold-green eyes beckon.

. . .

 

Clawing at the enflamed brand across his chest, roaring his defiance to an uncaring sky, he staggers and then slumps to the ground, broken. His hands drop to the sandy earth and his nails dig in, anchoring him in his anguish. He pulls one fist free, crumbling the dark soil between his fingers until he can see the lighter band of skin that marks his sacrifice. A low moan of grief and he scrambles awkwardly to his feet, and then stumbles through the green maze to a cave. Weaving his way past a pallet of blankets stained with blood, ignoring an extinguished fire, he shuffles deeper into the cave until no ray of sunlight can intrude. He curls up on the cold rock floor and waits without hope for an end to the pain.

 

**Chapter 1**

 

Looking up, he watched the cracks and extrusions of the rock ceiling change their shapes in the flickering light. He could hear the crackle of flames somewhere to his left, but it was too much effort to turn his head to verify their presence. The last thing he remembered was the sight of the ocean approaching the windshield of the Learjet's empty cockpit much too fast, the sound of tortured metal drowning out any noise he might have made in response.

Swallowing, he concluded that he was thirsty. He watched the shapes dance a while longer, and then turned his head to determine if there was more than a fire to his left. Although the simple movement left him exhausted, there was little pain and he felt encouraged. A foot away, well within reach of his hand if he could summon the energy, was a water bottle, the outside beaded with moisture and hinting at the cool relief waiting inside. Inching his hand toward his goal, he panted as his fingers closed around the slippery plastic. Dragging it towards himself across the rock floor, he began to move his other hand upward to assist in opening his treasure. Finally able to lift it high enough to rest on his chest, he fumbled at the cap, ultimately defeated by the safety seal. "Fuck!"

Letting his hands drop back to his sides, he closed his eyes and attempted to find the strength to try again. A sudden breeze brought the scent of the ocean, and the bottle shifted where it lay cool and moist on his bare skin. Taking a deep breath, he raised his hands once more to battle the twist cap and found it loosened and ready to remove. His head raised and, with a fumbling jerk, the cap came free and rolled away as both shaking hands raised the bottle to his lips and he choked down the water, not caring if it spilled along his jaw and neck as long as most of it made it down his throat. When it was empty, he let his head fall back. The bottle joined its cap on the floor as his eyes closed and he slept once more.

. . .

 

The second time he woke beneath the rock ceiling, he was better prepared for the change in his surroundings. Rolling to his side with a groan, he lay still for a moment taking in the new view. Next to the small, smokeless fire were a tin cup, a jug, and some fruit. Nearby there was a pile of clothing. When he recognized a shirt and pants, he thought to take personal inventory and came to the obvious conclusion that he was naked. He was also conscious that he was clean and dry, an unexpected state after a violent plane crash into the Pacific Ocean.

Pushing himself up on shaking arms, he sat cross-legged on his bed. He examined it with a great deal of curiosity, wondering about the thick pile of palm fronds cushioned by a thick blanket covered with a sheet, one corner of which had been flipped over him to preserve his modesty. It was obvious that he'd been cared for, yet his benefactor was strangely absent.

Leaning forward, he dragged the jug and cup close enough to allow him to pour a fresh drink of water. Sipping it slowly, he picked up the heavy fruit lying next to what seemed to be plantains. The papaya felt and smelled ripe, so he looked around the stony floor of the cave for a rock with sharp enough edges to slice it open. Failing to find one, he sighed and set the fruit back down to wait until he could visit the beach he suspected wasn't far away, based on the sound of the waves. He was sure with a little searching he could find a shell there that would work like a knife.

After grabbing the light linen pants and shirt and pulling them on, he slipped on the soft leather sandals he'd found underneath the clothes and then stood slowly and carefully. He navigated across the uneven floor to the cave entrance and stood looking out at the expanse of sun-drenched beach bounded by dense jungle. The cave seemed to be set into the side of a hill and was several feet above the beach, but the incline was gentle and he made his way down to the sand with little difficulty.

Once outside of the cave, the heat was more noticeable, and he was soon suffering from the sun beating down on his unprotected head. Shuffling through the sand at the edge of the water, he continued his single-minded search until he found a scalloped shell that could be broken, leaving an edge sharp enough to deal with the papaya's skin. Holding his prize, he turned to look back up the beach, only to find he'd wandered far enough that he could no longer see the cave.

Leaving the water's edge, he moved inland toward the green shade that promised some relief from the blistering sunlight. Moving slowly, stumbling occasionally over roots and fallen branches, he shoved his way through the undergrowth, slapping away insects and hissing when a careless shift of a vine left his palm stinging from the thorns decorating the plant. Head down, watching his footing to avoid another painful fall, he failed to notice when he'd passed the entrance of the cave.

It was only when he thought to walk back out on the beach to gain his bearings that he realized he didn't recognize anything. Even looking for his tracks in the sand didn't help, since the tide was coming in and had washed all evidence of his passing away. Looking up at the unrelenting sun, he weighed his options and decided to return along the beach, where he stood a better chance of spotting the cave than in the dense foliage. Pulling off his shirt, he wrapped it around his head and began trudging back down the beach to return to the beginning, still holding the shell that had precipitated his trek.

One step after the other, the sand shifting inside his sandals to grind like the finest sandpaper against his tender skin, he forced himself to keep moving, afraid that if he stopped, he'd never be able to resume. Each step became slower and more difficult, the sun stripping the flesh from his bones. The sand and water wavered and his last semi-coherent thought as he tripped and fell to his knees was that he would have really enjoyed that ripe papaya.

. . .

 

He could only lie on his stomach comfortably. His back and shoulders, as well as his scalp, which lacked the protection of hair, had all taken the brunt of the damage from his ill-advised walk along the beach. He hissed when he reached out to pour another cup of water, any movement stretching the sunburned skin. Setting the empty cup down, he selected another cube of papaya from the bowl filled with mango, papaya and pineapple and enjoyed the cool flesh.

He'd woken up in the cave again, clean, dry and naked once more. If not for the sunburn, he might have thought his adventure just a dream. The pain convinced him otherwise. There was fresh water and sliced fruit, as well as two complete place settings. He examined the stoneware and stainless steel with little interest, the set of knives off to one side earning more excitement than the everyday dishes and utensils. There was also anesthetic spray, which he applied with a sigh of relief before dressing in a fresh set of clothes. The soft, wide-brimmed hat was the final touch before he ventured forth again in the early morning air, carrying one of the knives and the plastic bottle of water that he'd refilled from the jug. He resolved not to stay out in the sun too long that day. He really did try to learn from his mistakes.

He didn't understand the continued absence of his caretakers. Whoever they were, they seemed to have his best interests at heart and tried to supply his needs, but he would have been happier to see and hear them. He called out often as he explored the immediate area, always keeping the cave entrance in sight, but nothing answered except the insects and birds.

While on the beach, he looked out over the ocean and noted a strange cloud in the distance...one that didn't move. Puzzled, he shrugged and turned his attention to constructing a simple message in the sand, using large rocks he pulled free from the hillside by the cave. Because he rested frequently in the shade, it took him most of the day to spell out H-E-L-P in letters he hoped would be large enough to be visible to any search planes. His final task before he withdrew to the cave to finish his fruit and water and get some sleep was to begin building a pile of wood he would use to light a signal fire if he heard a boat or plane approaching. He was pleasantly surprised to find freshly cooked fish waiting by the renewed fire, as well as more water and fruit.

Despite his tiring day, he found it difficult to find a comfortable position to sleep in, so he was still awake a few hours later, entranced by the shapes he saw in the flames of the small fire he'd kept lit. His head came up at the sound of a screaming roar in the distance, and he shivered at the thought of meeting whatever had made that sound armed only with a large kitchen knife.

. . .

 

He awoke with the feeling that he was being watched, an unpleasant tingle running along his spine. An old-fashioned wash basin sat steaming gently by the fire, soap and towel beside it. He used it gratefully, appreciating the spicy scent of the soap and the soft, thick cotton. His skin had almost healed, so he declined to reapply the spray, although he did take advantage of the tube of sunscreen. After eating his fruit and drinking several cups of water, he picked up his knife and bottle and left the cave to resume exploring, determined to mark a trail so that he could walk beyond sight range.

A detour to the beach left him cursing, furious at the destruction of his previous day's work. The stones he'd so laboriously carried and placed were gone...not just displaced...gone. His bonfire pile was now kindling only useful for the fire in the cave, certainly not large enough to send a signal visible a half-mile away. It was apparent that an escape from his island prison wasn't happening any time soon.

 

**Chapter 2**

 

Each morning revealed something new delivered to his cave. Some mornings it was simply fresh food available on the island, but many of the gifts had evidently been brought in from elsewhere. The cedar trunk that held his clean clothing was welcome, as were the books that required the bookshelf he'd constructed from the finished wood and nails supplied. There had only been a one-day delay when he'd had to wait for a handsaw to appear.

He spent the middle hours of the day in the coolness of the cave, only venturing forth in the early morning and late afternoon. He'd gotten used to the sensation of being watched. He'd never gotten used to being alone. He recited heroic poetry as he wandered the jungle paths he'd memorized, and sang songs quietly while carving in the cave's shade. The freshwater spring he'd found was a bright spot in his daily routine, the deep pool beneath the small cascade cool and refreshing in the oppressive heat. He would carry water back to heat and wash his clothes with the soap provided, laughing at the wrinkles and stains that would have been cause for dismissal in his former life.

Every other day or so, he'd test his boundaries and begin to collect driftwood for a bonfire or carry a few rocks to the beach to spell words in the sand. He did laugh aloud the morning he returned to the beach to find his F-U-C-K-U left intact, appreciating the fact that his captor had a least some sense of humor. The bonfire never fared as well.

After the first few days of exhaustion, he remained healthy, albeit tired of the simple diet, missing bread in particular. Grumbling about that resulted in a steady supply of crusty loaves that went well with the variety of cheeses he'd quietly wished for one evening.

. . .

 

He was always in the cave by the time dusk arrived. The almost nightly roars and screams he heard issuing from deep in the jungle left him no desire to meet the owner of the frightening sounds. If he'd had a reliable weapon, it might have been a different story, but for now he would pretend it was 'live and let live' and not simple common sense. Despite being safe by his fire, nights were the loneliest times for him. Trapped in the dark with only his own thoughts for company, he missed the odd comfort of the unseen eyes. After a few weeks of unrelenting boredom and loneliness, he decided something had to change.

After some thought, he carried the chessboard and pieces, painstakingly carved from a leftover plank and blocks of wood, out of the cave and placed them at the edge of the beach, well within the shade provided by several palms. Returning to the cave, he retrieved his water bottle and a thick towel to sit on, and then returned to his new location. Setting up the board, he began to play against himself. It was only a short time before he felt the watcher, hiding somewhere in the undergrowth. He smiled to himself and continued to move the pieces, always after careful consideration of each move.

The sun rose higher, forcing him to abandon his solo play for the cool of the cave. Pausing in the middle of gathering up the game pieces, he stopped and left the board in place, ready for the next move. He sauntered away casually, fingers crossed inside his pockets. He thought he might have heard a rustle in the tall grass, but couldn't be sure. It was still enough to bring a smile to his face.

. . .

 

Squatting down, he studied the latest move, nodding in surprised approval. The past two weeks had shown that his opponent played well, an aggressive game that still addressed the need for caution and defense. He picked up his remaining knight and brushed away a few grains of sand before placing in a position that would test the other's mettle. Standing up, he faced the jungle and saluted it before shoving his hands in the pockets of his cool linen pants and walking away with a jaunty whistle.

. . .

Waking at an unfamiliar sound, he opened his eyes to see startled gold-green eyes in a tan face beneath dark, shaggy locks. It was only an impression, a fleeting glimpse before he was alone again in the dim light of the cave. Scrambling to his feet, he ran to the entrance, knowing he would be too late but unable to resist the need to try. Furious that he'd missed his chance, he stalked out onto the beach and spent the morning shouting, pleading for whoever it was to come out. He didn't take the time to bathe or to eat, just stalked back and forth without a hat yelling until he was hoarse. Finally, with no voice left to beg any longer, he collapsed to the sand and sat there in the broiling sun, too discouraged to care about his reddening skin.

Suddenly, he found himself flying through the air, strong arms binding him from behind. It wasn't until the clear water closed over his head that he understood that he'd been carried to the pool, and then thrown in without any warning. Kicking his way to the surface, he sputtered in indignation until he had to grant the humor of the situation, and then laughed as he slogged his way out of the water, his gauze sleep pants and vest almost transparent. The audible gasp from the bushes at the side only released another gale of laughter as he carefully picked his way along the path back to the cave, barefoot and shockingly happy at what he considered a successful test.

. . .

 

"I'm not going to eat until I have some company!" Each shout was punctuated by the splash of fruit, bread and cheese in the breaking waves. "I'm tired of being alone all the time!" Inspired by the proof that his mysterious caretaker did not want him injured, he'd decided that a hunger strike could be effective in forcing the issue. Whoever it was that was watching over him couldn't resolve the issue by throwing him into the pool again. Disposing of any food he had on hand should make it clear that he was serious.

As he watched the fish battle over the floating food that was supposed to have been his breakfast after a rather strenuous morning, he reflected that eating and _then_ going on strike might have been a better plan.

. . .

 

Hunger seemed to make the nightly roaring more difficult to ignore than in the past. The second day into his self-imposed trial, his stomach was making demands that the water he'd continued to drink would no longer assuage. After tossing and turning on the raised sleeping platform that had replaced the bug-infested palm fronds, he faced the fact that an easy sleep was not in the stars for him that night. Grabbing his solar-powered flashlight, he set off to track down the beast. Quickly locating the path, he was grateful for the modern marvel that had appeared the morning after he'd tripped outside the cave following a late-night trip to the pit latrine situated a few hundred yards away in the jungle. He would have balked at carrying a burning torch.

Trotting quietly in the grooves he'd made in the soft, sandy soil, he soon found himself at the edge of a clearing. Not wanting to alert his quarry, he turned off the flashlight and approached stealthily, peering out around a thick tree trunk to try to identify the animal making the unearthly sounds. The moon was nearly full that night and fortunately provided more than enough light to make it clear that the animal in question...was actually a man.

He knew instantly that he'd found his invisible warden. The heavily bearded, nearly naked man knelt on the ground with his head thrown back, raging at the sky while he tore at the livid markings on his chest. He was enormous and his corded muscles stood out as he roared, and suddenly the prospect of meeting him was no longer as appealing as it had been a few minutes earlier. Listening to the few words he could make out from the screams, he backed further into the shadows that concealed him, no longer sure that he wanted to share an island with someone who shouted at unseen tormentors, refusing to obey and then ordering them to leave him alone.

The noise stopped abruptly, just as it had in the past. This time, though, alert ears heard the sob and whimper that would not have been audible as far away as the cave. Falling forward onto his outstretched arms in the center of the clearing, the man let his head hang, the tangled, dark waves of hair masking his face. His panting slowed and the tortured man eventually regained his feet, pushing the hair back out of his face with a hand bearing a ring that gleamed in the moonlight. Adjusting his ragged cotton shorts, the only piece of clothing covering his magnificently muscled body, he shuffled to the edge of the clearing a dozen yards away from his observer, idly scratching at the ugly scar marring his chest.

The small cardboard box he picked up was moving and, when he lifted the lid to peer inside, the delighted grin that flashed erased the watcher's lingering concerns. He was sure that no one with a smile that genuine could be dangerous. Tucking the box under his arm, the now-quiet man reached down to pick up a net bag filled with food and clothing. Suddenly realizing that those actions meant his caretaker was most likely on his way to the cave, the watcher abandoned his vantage point. He carefully made his way back to the path before turning on the flashlight and then running.

Scrambling up the slight incline to the cave, he kicked off his sandals, dropped heavily on top of his sleeping platform, and tried to slow his breathing. Belatedly, he realized he could have stopped at the latrine and pretended that was the reason he'd been outside at night. Shaking his head at his own foolishness, he rolled to his back and threw his forearm over his eyes. The position turned out to be serendipitous because he could peer out from under his arm and easily watch the man who silently entered the cave a few minutes after him.

 

**Chapter 3**

 

Not a single pebble was disturbed as his caretaker advanced into the cave, glancing often at the sleeping platform to make sure that he hadn't disturbed its occupant. In the dim light, the man looked even larger than he had under the moonlight, a hulking shadow creeping closer each second. As he watched from his bed, he found that he needed to force himself to continue to breathe deeply and evenly to avoid alerting his stealthy visitor.

Stopping in front of the flat stone that usually held each morning's gifts, the cardboard box was set down gently before he began emptying the net bag. Shifting without a sound, he picked up a few branches and fed the fire before taking a few steps toward the sleeping platform. He stopped a foot away and squatted, balancing gracefully on the uneven stone. His eyes roamed avidly over the man feigning sleep and there was the faintest of sighs. Observing the inflamed flesh on the otherwise perfect chest at close range left him feeling sick at the thought of the pain the bearded man must be suffering. It took every ounce of his strong will not to sit up and ask what he could do to help.

A sudden movement forced him to close his eyes beneath his shielding arm, fearing that his ruse would be detected. He hadn't heard the other leave, and the feeling of a continued presence was supported by the warmth that passed over his bare skull and along the exposed side of his face. Unable to resist, he reopened one eye in time to see the other's dark hand gliding just above the much paler surface of his skin. It explained the warmth he'd felt, but he was still left puzzled when the hand hovered for a moment above his heart before it withdrew. A blink, and the other was gone without a sound.

Exhaustion and lack of food took their toll, and he fell into a restless set of dreams that starred a handsome giant who roared.

. . .

 

Rustling noises woke him, and he immediately stretched out to capture and open the box that quivered on the flat rock. A surprised chuckle greeted the quizzical face of a small gray tabby kitten, which mewed plaintively and immediately attempted to scramble out of its cardboard confines.

Scooping the slight body up in one hand, he brought the kitten up to his face, marveling at the softness of its fur. When the little beast protested with mews and swipes of needle-sharp claws, he set it down and watched as it wobbled around the cave floor, exploring with eyes and nose.

"I suppose I'll have to come up with a name for you." Lifting the kitten once more for a swift examination, he set it back down with a nod. "The Egyptians were noted for their attachment to cats. I think Arensnuphis would end up being too difficult to say in a hurry, although it does have a ring to it. Maybe...yes, I have it. Aker. He was one of the oldest Egyptian lion gods and guarded the gate of the dawn through which the sun god emerged every day."

Grinning at the kitten's antics as it chased its tail, he gathered up the delivered food, and walked toward the cave entrance. At the last minute, he rethought and set down the kitten chow he'd found bundled with the rest. Walking down to the beach, he stood at the water's edge and shouted, "Nice try, but a cat is not what I asked for! I want to speak to a human, not an animal!" He held up the first piece of fruit. "I'm waiting!" When a few minutes had passed with no response, he tossed it into the water and held up another. Eventually, the fish were well fed for another day, and he returned to the cave to take care of Aker.

. . .

 

Tired and weak from his third day without food, and soothed by Aker's purring, he fell asleep early and nothing disturbed his dreams. The kitten accepted its position of furry alarm clock, and he woke up grumbling at dawn with a tail in his face. Depositing Aker in the sandpit that he'd constructed the day before, he investigated the morning's offerings. He grinned at the tea, teapot, and assortment of sticky pastries sitting on the stone beside the usual fruit, bread and cheese. He nodded in satisfaction and made his preparations.

 

. . .

 

He estimated that he'd been sitting in the shade of the chess tree for two hours before he detected any movement beyond the pouncing of the kitten. He waved away the flies that kept settling on the pastries and sipped his tea, studying the chessboard. Not a single grain of sand was disturbed when his stubborn warden appeared opposite, sitting cross-legged and glaring across the wooden army at him.

With a serene smile that concealed his inner gloating, he lifted the tray of breakfast treats and offered them to his recalcitrant guest. Compressing his lips, the other snatched the first one to hand and shoved the plate back. Nodding pleasantly, he then offered tea, which was accepted silently. His guest attended to, he served himself and waited for the scowling man to begin. The silent battle of wills was short, and crumbs were soon decorating the dark beard and the cruelly scarred chest. Sighing in relief, he made short work of his own breakfast, sating his immediate hunger. After licking his pale, sticky fingers in satisfaction, he made the opening move in the new game, leaning back on his palms with a grin.

Gently pulling an enormous hand away from Aker, who'd been happily using it as a chew toy, the other made his countermove before the kitten could begin mewing in protest. Toy restored, Aker curled up contentedly in the crook of a darkly tanned arm and purred himself to sleep as the ancient game of war was played in silence.

. . .

 

"You play very well. Did you learn at home or at school?" Not really expecting an answer, he continued, "My father taught me...as a strategy tool, of course. Everything he taught me was to advance my skills in the cutthroat world of high finance. I just liked to play, but I learned not to say that to my father. Liking or loving someone or something was a sign of weakness." His fingers had been nimbly setting up the pieces for a new game as he shared a piece of his past. "When I went to school, I had a friend who played, but he didn't play because he enjoyed it. He said it honed his mind to think on different levels and gave him an advantage against his foes." Pieces in place, he looked up with a smile. "Would you like to play again, just for fun?"

After a glance at the sun overhead, his opponent shook his shaggy head and disappeared, along with everything painstakingly carried out to the chess tree earlier. A few seconds later, surfacing from the depths of the pool and sluicing the water from his naked skull, he sputtered in indignation before giving in and laughing at the abrupt end of the morning's detente. Aker mewed pitifully at him from the pile of clothing and towels at the edge of the pool and hissed whenever his dripping hand came too close.

 

**Chapter 4**

 

"Do we really have to go through this again? I'm tired of this game, but if I have to...." He stood at the edge of the water and juggled the papaya up and down in one hand, the other balancing a basket carrying the rest of the food. He felt alive once more, as if he'd been under a spell now broken, and he was no longer willing to coast along simply accepting the status quo. It had been two days since what he'd hoped was a breakthrough, with no sign of the other. The roaring continued each night. That, along with the daily food delivery, was the only evidence he had that Aker and he were not alone on the island. He was determined to win this war of wills. "Okay, on the count of three. One...two...."

He never made it to 'three' because a very large, intimidating figure appeared in front of him, arms folded across his scarred chest and feet planted firmly in the sand. If he hadn't been so certain that the bigger man did not intend to harm him, he would have taken a few nervous steps back. Instead, he set the basket and papaya down, folded his arms and frowned back. After a few minutes of exchanging scowls, he dropped his arms to his sides and extended his right hand. "Let me introduce myself. I'm Lex Luthor."

Disdaining the offered hand, the other growled, "Kal." He turned away and stalked back to the chess tree, making more noise than Lex had ever heard him make before then. He flopped down in front of the chessboard and stared at it. Lex thought that Kal was pouting, but he couldn't be sure because of the unkempt beard. The very notion that a man that size would sit and sulk because he'd been bested in a contest of wills provided Lex with a great deal of amusement. Picking up the food basket and the errant papaya, he joined Kal at the chessboard, attempting to keep his gloating to a minimum.

. . .

 

"I don't think anyone in Metropolis would recognize me now, except for this, of course." Lex flashed Kal a wry grin as his slim hand passed over his smooth head. "I guess that alone would make it difficult to run around incognito without a hat or wig." Reaching down, he tickled the kitten's belly. "What do you say, Aker? Care to let me borrow your fur the next time I hit the clubs on the other side of the island?"

Sitting on the opposite side of the fire, Kal said nothing, as usual. It had been three days of chess games, swimming in the jungle pool, exploring, and eating meals together...and Kal still hadn't said a word. Lex knew that he could talk; after all, he'd given his name and Lex had heard his nocturnal screams. Kal was simply being stubborn, and Lex didn't think another hunger strike would be tolerated. Lex had visions of being force-fed if he pushed the issue, so he filled in the empty spaces himself.

"Never mind, Aker. I've gotten used to the clean look. When you go bald at age nine, there's not much else to do except suck it up or wear a wig." Picking up the kitten, he pretended to talk to it while watching Kal for any response. "It's okay. As it turned out, I learned how to handle myself pretty well in a fight, after a few lessons from that friend I mentioned before. After a while, the other boys learned to leave the freak alone."

Lex had caught Kal's flinch out of the corner of his eye. "How did it all happen, you ask?" Setting the kitten down to let him scamper around the fire to chew on Kal's fingers, Lex leaned back against the sleeping platform and sighed. "Why, it was a trip to a sleepy little farm town located outside of Metropolis. It was just my luck that I arrived there the same day the meteorites did."

Lex could see that Kal had frozen in place, not responding to the kitten's noisy demands that he play. Wondering what he had said that had caused the reaction, Lex continued to watch Kal as he told his story. "My father and I had flown out to talk to the owners of a factory he was interested in acquiring. While they were discussing terms, I became bored, and I wandered out into a nearby cornfield. It wasn't long before I was wishing for that boredom back, instead of being nearly frightened to death."

Lex didn't understand the look of guilt that had fallen over Kal's fire-lit countenance, but he chose to ignore it and finish his story, hoping Kal would utter some word or sound that would provide a clue. "I heard someone calling for help, and I followed the sound until I found a wooden cross in a cleared area. The boy tied to it begged me for help, but my asthma forced me to search for my inhaler first. I remember taking one more step towards the boy...and then I woke up in the hospital minus my hair and my asthma. I eventually grasped that I'd gotten a pretty good deal: hair for health. I'm rarely sick, any injuries heal faster than normal, and I'm recognized instantly everywhere I go."

Taking a sip of the tea that he'd brewed earlier, Lex shrugged. "Oddly enough, I later found out I wasn't the only freak created that day." When Kal shifted and frowned, Lex tilted his head and studied Kal's reactions, interested in what had affected him so negatively. Suspecting what it was, he continued, watching. "There were rumors, undocumented stories about freakish-looking animals and humans who could do some incredible things." Lex nodded as Kal left the cave before he'd finished, confirming that he wouldn't be using the word 'freak' or telling stories about the phenomena surrounding Smallville if he wanted to keep Kal around.

It made sense.

Kal was no ordinary man.

. . .

 

After a lonely breakfast, Lex made his way outside, his broad-brimmed hat shading his face from the mid-morning sun. He was determined to find Kal and make it clear that he wasn't going to tolerate solitary confinement every time he did or said something that Kal didn't like. It went against his nature to accept restrictions without a struggle. Kal's strength and speed gave him an unnatural advantage over Lex, but he'd stake his freedom that he could out-think Kal every time. He just needed to keep pushing the boundaries, never give in, and one day he'd get off the island and back to his life. In the meantime, he'd make the best of it and work with what he had.

Prepared to walk along the perimeter of the island in a logical search pattern, he carried his knife and water bottle in a woven bag over one shoulder. Glancing out over the ocean, he smiled at the sight of dolphins swimming out past the reefs. Their playful jumps made him envious, wishing he were at liberty to go wherever he wished, at any time. Turning towards the deep-green foliage of the interior, he shouted, "Kal!"

After a second shout, he was ready to move on when he heard a splash behind him. Glancing over his shoulder, Lex felt his jaw drop as he watched Kal wade toward him, burnished skin glittering under a scattering of saltwater gems. He was a sea god incarnate, though he might be branded and exiled, still the sun worshipped Kal, highlighting every exquisite curve in gold. He shook back his dark locks and almost smiled at Lex's stumbling while trying to turn around quickly in the shifting sand. The closer he came to shore, the more apparent it became that he'd abandoned his faded, ragged shorts elsewhere. Lex's eyes grew wider as the receding waves revealed the full glory of Kal and, with his mouth suddenly dry, he croaked, "You're...I mean...was that you out there with the dolphins?"

Kal halted his advance and, with an almost imperceptible nod, answered Lex's question. Holding the woven bag in front of his tented pants in a futile attempt to hide his intense reaction to Kal, Lex blurted out, "Will you take me?" Another nod and Lex was scrambling back up the beach to the cave in order to change into his swim trunks and the gauze shirt he typically wore to help shield his skin while swimming. Although weeks of exposure to the sun had resulted in a tan much darker than he'd ever sported before in his life, Lex knew that he still needed the extra protection from sunlight reflecting off the water. Thankful that he'd applied waterproof sunscreen to his head, neck and shoulders earlier, he was back on the beach in less than five minutes, equally grateful that Kal had waited for him.

. . .

 

Each wince at the pull of tight, tender, sunburned skin was worth it to Lex when he recalled the time he'd spent exploring the reef with Kal. Knowing that he'd be fine in a day or two, he'd stayed out in the water playing games with the dolphins and observing the underwater ballet of life and death, until Kal had finally towed him back to shore without a word. He'd carried him directly to the freshwater pool to rinse off, and Lex had protested all the way there that he was perfectly capable of walking.

Sputtering indignantly from his sudden dunking, he'd surprised a grin on Kal's face, which had quickly disappeared when he'd noticed Lex watching him. Lex had soon decided he'd allow a few blows to his dignity in return for more of those smiles. He'd played it up all the way back to the cave, muttering dire threats of retribution against Kal, knowing they'd never come to pass. The quiet chuckle he'd heard a few feet behind him had made the dramatics all worthwhile.

Stomping loudly into the cave, he'd released Aker from the crate that Kal had supplied to keep the kitten safe, and then regaled the romping feline with his adventures while he changed into dry clothes. Afterwards, the purring handful of fur had been willing to warm Lex's chest as he fell into sleep, exhausted by the day's pleasant exercise, visited by dreams of a young sea god wrapped in chains and subject to his whims.

 

**Chapter 5**

 

"It's strange, but now that I think of it, there are more than a few parallels between this story and my life. I'm a prisoner on this island because I have a habit of trusting the wrong people. My father, my employees, my wives...every one of them was out to steal from me...or kill me."

The euphoria from swimming with the dolphins had faded by the next day, and Lex had become irritable and bored. Nothing he'd tried had amused him for more than a few minutes, and he'd been reduced to beachcombing just to get out of the cave. Kal's absence for most of the day had been the major reason for Lex's restlessness. He'd failed to discover how Kal had disappeared so easily. Lex knew he could walk around the entire island in a day, and although there were dense areas of jungle in the center, it had still seemed impossible for him to miss someone Kal's size.

When Kal had finally reappeared in time for dinner, delivering fresh fish and fruit, Lex had thanked him coldly and then deliberately ignored him while preparing the food. Kal had taken a seat well away from the fire, holding Aker in his lap and watching Lex's every move with green eyes that had flickered gold in the firelight. When his head had drooped disconsolately, causing dark curls to fall forward to mask his face, Lex had relented enough to share stories about a unique shell he'd found while walking that day and Aker's amusing pursuit of a large spider.

After eating, Lex had selected a book to read aloud by the light of the fire. The plot of _The Count of Monte Cristo_ had spurred him to reminisce about the numerous betrayals in his life.

"Wives. Yes, you heard me right. Twenty-three years old and married twice already." Lex tucked a finger into the book to hold his place while his eyes grew hazy with memory. "The first told me she was going to save me, and then she recruited another man to shoot me after I'd changed my will in her favor." Lex didn't notice how still Kal had become, although Aker protested the cessation of ear scratching. "Luck and my ability to heal was on my side and I survived. The marriage was annulled and Desiree is serving five to ten."

Rubbing the back of his neck, Lex grimaced as he tried to stretch out a knotted muscle. "The second...I believe she and my father worked together. I woke up alone on my honeymoon flight, the only passenger on a Learjet headed for the ocean. I can only assume that the inroads I'd been making in my father's empire became too much for him to tolerate...and Helen accepted an offer she couldn't refuse." Tossing the book on his sleeping pallet, Lex rose and began to pace at the entrance of the cave, abandoning the fire. "I'd learned my lesson with Desiree, and required that Helen sign a pre-nuptial agreement. I'd also made no changes to my will in her favor. It still wasn't enough protection. She and the pilot parachuted out of the jet after she drugged me."

Standing with legs spread and arms crossed, Lex looked out over the starlit ocean and sighed. "So here I am...held captive on an island after losing everything, betrayed by those I'd expected to love me the most." Turning back around, he looked at the slump-shouldered man who refused to meet his eyes and asked in an oddly calm voice, "So tell me, Kal. How many years must I wait and plot my revenge? Will you free me one day, or should I feign death and trust my body to the waves?"

The lack of a reply was no surprise to Lex, nor was Kal's immediate departure. In the morning, Lex graciously accepted the unvoiced apology of fresh bread, orange marmalade, and an extended swim with the dolphins.

 

. . .

 

Aware that the silence that fell after the roars signaled Kal's imminent arrival at the cave, Lex had fallen into the habit of lying awake, waiting for him. He would remain motionless, his eyes open just enough to watch and stay undetected. After depositing the almost daily provisions, as well as the occasional luxury, on the flat stone, Kal would approach Lex and indulge in his ritual of caressing the air above Lex's body. This nightly charade continued uninterrupted until early one morning, just before dawn, Lex deliberately opened his eyes and smiled up at Kal, who froze in place, his hand suspended above Lex's heart.

Lex reached up deliberately and pressed Kal's hand down to rest on his chest, assuring him, "I'd like you to touch me, Kal." He closed his eyes in relief when Kal began to move his hand tentatively, retracing his earlier motions. The intensity of his body's response to the simple touches startled Lex until he recalled he'd had few opportunities for release since his arrival on the island. At first, simple stress and the feeling of being observed had subdued any arousal. Kal's entrance into his daily life didn't make life any simpler since his unnatural speed convinced Lex that an interruption at an awkward moment was inevitable.

When Kal's hand slipped beneath Lex's sleeping vest to glide across bare skin, Lex shivered and moaned, all too aware that just a few more caresses would result in an embarrassing situation, but too overcome by the rolling pleasure to stop. Kal jerked his hand back at the sound, his eyes wide and fearful before he disappeared. Lex sat up with a frustrated groan, but Kal was gone. Flopping back down on the pallet, Lex reached inside his thin pants and finished with a few rough strokes, cursing his own impatience.

. . .

 

Lex was certain that the hidden fissure he'd found on the back side of the hill housing the cave was another entrance, although he'd done no exploring in the dark recesses of his temporary home. Unfortunately, the massive boulder directly in front of the crack in the rock almost completely closed it off, leaving a space too narrow for Lex to squeeze through. Shrugging, Lex dismissed it as a possible hiding place for Kal.

It had been two days since he'd bolted from the cave, and Lex had neither seen nor heard him since. There had been no roars in the night, and the flat rock remained bare. Aker kept nosing about the cave as if searching for his lost playmate, while Lex felt increasingly ashamed that he'd forced Kal to do something that made him uncomfortable. He berated himself under his breath as he searched, remembering hostile takeovers he'd handled better than that single encounter.

. . .

 

"Kal, please come back! I promise that I won't ask you to touch me again! I'm sorry! I didn't mean to upset you!" Lex stood outside the cave and called out into the gathering dusk. He'd searched everywhere, and had found no evidence that Kal lived on the island. The only alternative Lex could think of was that Kal had successfully hidden a boat somewhere and used that to travel off the island at night. He found it hard to believe that Kal had abandoned him after so many days together. He'd always taken care of Lex's needs, up until the night when everything fell apart. "Kal, please! Give me a chance to explain!"

Turning away from the empty night, Lex slowly made his way back to the fire, not looking forward to spending another night alone. Even Aker was gone, preferring to sleep during the day and wander in the cooler darkness. Head down, watching his shuffling feet, he was unprepared for Kal's sudden appearance, forcing him to save Lex from a fall when he blindly walked right into the larger man. "Kal!" Staggering a little when Kal quickly released him, Lex immediately began to apologize, not wanting to miss the opportunity. "Kal, I'm sorry. I'm sorry that I forced you to touch me. It wasn't right to try to make you do something you didn't want to do. Please, give me another chance. I won't...."

Kal's hand came up and he placed his fingers gently across Lex's lips, halting the flow of words. Dark eyes gazed down as Kal's other hand rose to trace along Lex's collarbone to his shoulder and then down along his arm until he clasped Lex's hand in his. Holding their joined hands up between them, Kal glanced at them and then to Lex, posing a question with his eyes. Kissing the fingers that had silenced him, Lex nodded slowly, Kal's fingers lifting to reveal a smile of relief and consent.

"Yes."

 

**Chapter 6**

 

Kal knelt down slowly next to Lex, who was lying on his back on the thick quilted cotton that served as the mattress.

While standing at the entrance of the cave, he had carefully removed Lex's gauze sleep vest, golden fingers barely grazing against paler flesh. The drawstring of Lex's matching pants had been next, and the gossamer-light fabric had floated past his hips to pool about his feet, only the slightest catch felt against his arousal in their slow descent. Lex's eyes had nearly closed as he'd struggled to contain the shudders that had possessed him when Kal's hands ghosted over his shoulders and down to his hands, grasping them to draw Lex after him towards the sleeping platform. Following, offering no resistance, he'd allowed Kal to arrange him on the soft cotton using a series of gentle touches.

Lex waited and watched silently as Kal came to rest next to him, forcing himself to remain passive, unwilling to chance frightening Kal away again by trying to take control of the encounter. Kal settled back on his heels, his hands relaxed on his muscled thighs, and let his intense gaze traverse Lex's body until Lex was sure that he could feel its warm pressure against his sensitive skin. His hands flexed, needing to touch the golden skin just a few inches away, and his breathing quickened without his consent when Kal finally extended one hand to settle it over Lex's rapidly beating heart.

Unable to suppress a moan as he felt the full weight and heat of Kal's hand, Lex tensed when Kal did, smiling to prove that he was enjoying Kal's actions. After a moment, Kal's fingertips began to glide across passion-flushed skin, the muscles beneath straining upward trying to bring Lex closer during their tortuously slow journey. No hair slowed his exploration, each rib spanned, and every freckle counted in a path ever lower. Hip to navel to hip, the teasing digits drew forth a begging cry, "Kal, please...."

Dipping into the slick fluid painting Lex's belly, then transferring it lower, Kal's index finger slid leisurely from throbbing, naked base to purpled head. Lex jerked and then spilled with that single touch, warmth pooling and then dripping down his sides as Kal's hand cupped and stroked him to a groaning completion.

Throwing his forearm over his eyes in embarrassment at his lack of control, Lex muttered an apology that was abandoned when a tongue began to clean him with wordless murmurs of enjoyment. Propping himself up on his elbows, Lex watched as Kal diligently chased down every spatter, twitching at the scraping tickle of the coarse beard and moaning when his interest was renewed all too soon. His head dropped back and he squeezed his eyes shut, groaning, "Kal, you're going to kill me." A cool breeze made him shiver, and he sighed in resignation and opened his eyes.

"Fuck!"

Lex was alone again, left feeling like some teenager who'd come in his pants while being felt up for the first time in the back seat of a car. When he realized how easy he'd been, he groaned. He hadn't even been kissed.

"Fuck!"

Flopping back down, he stared up at the rock ceiling until a smile began to curve his mouth. He fell asleep thinking that payback was going to be very sweet.

. . .

 

It all started with the dolphins because they were reluctant to lose one of their playmates too soon in the day. Whenever Lex became tired in the middle of their games, one of the dolphins would swim close and offer its back as a resting place. Lex would seat himself just behind the dorsal fin and allow the dolphin to cruise slowly in the center of the pod for ten or fifteen minutes while he recovered enough energy to play fetch-the-piece-of-coral or to join them underwater exploring the nooks and crannies of the reef.

After Kal had watched the cooperative behavior a few times, he was the next to offer his back when Lex's movements became little slower. Floating effortlessly on his stomach, head pillowed on his hands, he would wait for Lex to lift himself out of the water and sit straddling his waist. The first few times, Lex had been able to rein in his rampant libido, resisting the urge to let his hands linger as he positioned himself on his man-shaped surfboard. After the previous night's encounter, he was surprised when Kal offered himself as a place to rest, but not for long. Scrambling to take advantage of the situation, Lex was delighted that the opportunity to have some fun of his own had arrived so quickly.

His first action was to wave a cheerful goodbye to his swim trunks as they floated downward to decorate the reef, that is, until the dolphins decided they had a new toy. His next was to appreciate the flinch and gasp that announced Kal's realization that Lex was naked as he casually settled into place much lower than usual, straddling Kal's hips. To Kal's credit, they both remained floating and there was no evidence of discomfiture, just surprise. Grinning at his success, Lex lowered himself to lie flat against Kal's back, his arousal cradled perfectly in the crease of Kal's buttocks, and taking intense pleasure in the shudder that ran through the golden muscles supporting him in the gentle waves.

Balanced perfectly, Lex laid his cheek against the sun-warmed flesh of Kal's shoulders and let his arms dangle in the water, sculling gently until he could feel the muscles beneath him begin to relax. Slowly, barely causing a ripple, he brought one hand up to glide across Kal's chest, fingers twisting one nipple and then the other, riding the buck and surge the actions generated. He lifted his head long enough to let the wave wash over Kal's back, hips shifting to allow his heated length to glide along the water-slicked channel. When they rose to the surface again, it was time for more.

Grazing along Kal's heaving sides with both hands, Lex grasped his hips and lifted himself to shift downwards, nudging Kal's thighs apart enough to reposition himself so that he nudged Kal's heavy sac with his sensitive tip. Although the water continued to ease his way, coarse hair still provided delicious friction as he settled in for a ride. Kal offered no resistance to any of Lex's unspoken demands, and when Lex checked his reaction to the rough caresses, he was pleased to find that Kal was just as ready and eager as he'd hoped.

One arm wrapped around Kal's waist to hold them close as the opposing hand roamed his substantial length, sliding loosely and then grasping tightly in an irregular rhythm designed to prolong Kal's 'punishment' for leaving Lex so abruptly the night before. Kal's hips chased Lex's teasing hand, a bonus for Lex as he slid and prodded between Kal's clenched thighs. Lex needed to raise his upper body to keep his mouth and nose clear of the water as Kal began to lose his ability to keep them both on the surface, sinking gradually lower with each thrust and groan. Tightening his grip, Lex stopped the teasing and set a punishing rhythm with hand and hips until they both cried out and then stilled, blood-heat washed away by cool ocean brine. Lex's arm loosened and Kal rolled lazily beneath him until he floated on his back, supporting Lex on his chest on the surface once more as they exchanged their first kiss.

Lazily licking his way into the hot, sweet mouth hidden behind the slightly rough beard, safe above the gently rocking waves, Lex was sure it wouldn't be their last.

 

. . .

 

The evening's meal was quiet. Lex had been too lost in his thoughts to engage in his usual one-sided conversation that Kal had never contributed to in all their time together. When Aker abandoned them for his nightly ramble, Kal went to the makeshift bookshelf, pulled out _The Odyssey_ and brought it back to the fire, handing it diffidently to Lex. Flipping through it idly, Lex stopped at a page and then looked up at Kal and nodded. Immediately taking a seat next to Lex, Kal waited patiently for him to begin.

"'I was driven thence by foul winds for a space of nine days upon the sea, but on the tenth day we reached the land of the Lotus-eaters, who live on a food that comes from a kind of flower. Here we landed to take in fresh water, and our crews got their mid-day meal on the shore near the ships. When they had eaten and drunk I sent two of my company to see what manner of men the people of the place might be, and they had a third man under them. They started at once, and went about among the Lotus-eaters, who did them no hurt, but gave them to eat of the lotus, which was so delicious that those who ate of it left off caring about home, and did not even want to go back and say what had happened to them....'"

Lex's voice died away and he closed the book. Sighing, he rose and placed it back on the shelf before crawling onto the sleeping pallet and lying down on his side, watching Kal silently. Left alone by the fire, Kal placed a few small branches on it before standing, and then shuffled towards the entrance to the cave, shoulders bowed.

"Will you stay?" The quiet words brought Kal to a halt, and he turned around slowly to look back at Lex, his eyes glimmering gold with reflected firelight. "I'd like it, if you wouldn't mind." Kal ducked his head, surprisingly shy for someone who had been able to break Lex's practiced control with only his touch, just one night earlier. Returning with careful steps, he shed his latest disreputable-looking shorts, and then reclined in the space Lex had made for him on the mattress, turning on his side to face him. Lex looked deep into Kal's anxious eyes and whispered, "Thank you."

 

**Chapter 7**

 

"Hold still. I know I can't hurt you, but you're making me nervous." Drawing the knife back from the edge of Kal's jaw, Lex frowned at him until he stopped rubbing the spot on his chest where a fallen clump of trimmed beard had tickled. "Done? All right, then. Let's continue, shall we? I'd like to see if I can find a man under all this excess hair."

Lex had made it his goal for the day to restore Kal to some semblance of a civilized man. Throwing his ragged shorts on the fire, he'd forced Kal to choose a new pair from the assortment of clothing he'd supplied Lex over time. Resignedly, he'd selected a pair of soft cargo shorts that were baggy on Lex and slipped them on, waiting for Lex's approval. Grinning, Lex had nodded and pulled Kal outside to trim his beard, as well as to work on combing the tangles out of his shoulder-length hair.

Brushing away the last of the trimmed hair, Lex stepped back to survey the results. He sucked in a breath when the full impact of the worried crystal-green eyes above the sculpted jaw and high cheekbones struck him. The man that he'd considered handsome was actually a beautiful youth, his tentative behavior at times in the past suddenly making sense to Lex. "Kal, you...you're...."

The strength of Kal's arms around him, and the sweetness of his lips as he thanked Lex without words for his caring touch, banished Lex's concerns to the recesses of his distracted mind.

. . .

 

Pointing up into the sky, Lex indicated the stars he'd been lecturing Kal about that evening. "It's different; looking up and seeing the Southern Cross instead of the constellations I'm familiar with in the northern hemisphere." Kal nodded and then nudged Lex, pointing out a meteorite flaming out high in the atmosphere. "You should make a wish, Kal. Not very scientific, I know, but I think I prefer my mother's fancies over my father's facts when it comes to something like a falling star."

Rolling onto his side on the blanket and propping his head up on his bent arm, Lex looked into Kal's starlit face and smiled sadly. "I've always wondered where I would have ended up if my mother had lived beyond my twelfth birthday." Sliding his fingers into Kal's soft hair and pushing it back and off his forehead, Lex shrugged. "I think that maybe I'd be working in a lab someplace, investigating new compounds or processes, and possibly even making the world a better place, instead of simply making my father richer."

Letting himself collapse back onto the blanket, Lex covered his eyes with his forearm. "If I ever get off this island, I'm not going back to work for him. There has to be something better...and I'm going to figure out what it is and do it." He sighed and his voice trailed off, quiet and tired. "I've decided I want more than being rich and successful." His breathing evened out and his final words were a faint murmur. "I want to be happy...."

 

. . .

 

"Pomegranates? Well, I asked for something other than mangoes or papayas, and they're definitely different." Lex rolled the purple-red fruit in his hand, thinking. "I never really cared for eating them, but I do like the juice." Getting up, he rummaged in his clothes chest and pulled out one of his gauze shirts, now ragged from wear and tear. "This will work. It's clean." Returning to the fire, he set the extra jug between his thighs to steady it, sliced open the pomegranate with his favorite knife, and scraped the pulp and seeds into the shirt.

Setting the knife aside, he gathered the edges of the cloth together and began to twist, holding it above the jug. Red juice began to trickle into the jug and Lex chuckled in triumph as he twisted harder. A large hand appeared and carefully extracted the cloth from Lex's grasp. With no noticeable effort on Kal's part, the juice began trickling even faster. When Lex accepted the cloth back and opened it, he could see that the pulp had been squeezed completely dry, leaving little beside the seeds.

Nodding in satisfaction, he asked Kal to dispose of the remnants outside the cave, and began to slice open the next. With the two of them working together, it wasn't long before all six fruits became juice. After clearing everything away, Kal examined his hands and frowned. The red juice had left a dark stain that wasn't washing away. Watching Kal's frustration as he scrubbed at his palms, Lex suddenly realized it was the first time he'd seen anything mark Kal for longer than it had taken for him to bathe or swim. No amount of biting, scratching or pressure on Lex's part ever left evidence behind, while his body carried red and purple marks on a daily basis, courtesy of Kal.

Searching through the feathers he'd collected for Aker to play with, Lex found a large one and trimmed the end. "Kal, I want you to take off your clothes and lie down on the bed." Grinning, Kal immediately obeyed, and Lex had him roll onto his stomach before stripping his own clothes and grabbing the jug full of ruby-red juice. "You are my canvas today, Kal, so you have to stay still."

Setting the jug down close enough to reach it easily, Lex dipped the end of the feather into the red juice and tested his makeshift quill and ink high on one broad shoulder. Studying the resulting thin red line, Lex nodded in satisfaction. "Body art has been around since the time of the caveman. At times, it was permanent like tattoos or scarification, other times semi-permanent with paints and dyes. I once watched an artist paint incredibly intricate designs in henna on a friend's palms, and when she was done, I had her do the same on my head. It was quite a hit in the clubs for as long as it lasted. I may have even started a new trend."

Mentally rehearsing the movements, imagining the result, Lex surveyed the expanse of flesh laid before him, his to do with what he would. Flawless, it was as if the sun resided just beneath the surface, ever ready to shine forth in the darkness. He'd seen it ignite the night he'd followed the sound raised to uncaring stars, watched it flare under hands that had striven in vain to purge the flame within. Skin that held no evidence of the past, save the raised flesh that mirrored a sigil picked out in rough-cut gems embellishing the armor worn by an unparalleled warrior, would now bear _his_ mark.

As Lex decorated his golden canvas with swirls and emblems, crosshatching and magical eyes, he entertained Kal with stories about the symbols and the mythic significance of the unique ink. "Pomegranates are very appropriate symbols for our life here. After Hades stole Demeter's daughter Persephone and imprisoned her in his underworld kingdom, he tricked her into eating six pomegranate seeds. Demeter was upset about her daughter's kidnapping and the earth became barren and lifeless. Zeus was finally forced to order Hades to restore Persephone to Demeter. Those seeds proved to be a problem, though, keeping Persephone bound to return to the underworld half of the year, one month for each mistake."

Lex's drawl became sardonic. "So the earth suffers fall and winter because of a forbidden fruit. Seems like a recurring theme, doesn't it? I'm sure Adam and Eve might have had a few words to share on that subject. Exile and imprisonment...cornerstones of the classics."

Lex had been busy as he recounted the tales. Exotic birds peered from high palms, while cats twined about the bases of trees, and dolphins rode frothing waves. Hieroglyphs joined Greek and Cyrillic lettering, all singing the praises of Lex's sea god brought to land and made flesh. Back completed, crimson designs dry, he had Kal turn over, and smiled at the evidence that Kal had been enjoying his dual role as muse and canvas as much as Lex had been enjoying his as an artist.

More characters danced along Kal's collarbones, took up dwelling in the dip of his throat and held sway down his sternum until meeting the gnarled, uneven scar. Here, Lex faltered, seeking permission from passion-darkened eyes before proceeding. Watching dark lashes dip in acquiescence, Lex nodded and resumed, the cruel brand gaining an angry, raw hue beneath the gentle fingertips that had taken over when Lex's hand began to cramp around the quill.

Lex mapped the paths he often traced in the firelight or under an azure sky, marking the span of hips and lines of sleek muscle. Drinking from the jug, he shared, staining full lips, making them an impossible red, more succulent than the ripest fruit. Another sip and dusky nipples vanished inside a juice-cooled mouth and emerged painted, molded by teeth and tongue. Kal's navel became a shallow, scarlet pool and then it bloomed, a blood lily that quivered with each breath and moan.

It took an effort to position his next target, its iron-hard determination to remain horizontal and straining against Kal's belly defeated by Lex's stubborn fist. Holding the purpled head still, Lex deepened the color with tortuously slow drips from his finger, which had been dipped into the remaining juice. He watched as each splash moistened the slit and then made its way downwards to slip around the thinly stretched ring of protective flesh and spill over to stripe the remainder standing tall above his restraining hand. The clear fluid, which failed to dilute the red, was sampled, and then lapped up as it sweetened the tart, astringent liquid.

The thighs that trembled beneath him signaled the end of Kal's control as thoroughly as the thick groan that issued from between passion-bitten lips. Glancing up at the sound, Lex hissed at the sight of the blood that only Kal could summon from himself and abandoned his cruel play to suck the painted head into his mouth and soothe it with his tongue. A few strokes and sweet ocean salt flooded his mouth, the taste like no other Lex had known.

As the straining muscles beneath him relaxed, Lex's own arousal made itself known and he groaned, scraping across sheets not as soft as the skin he'd just claimed. Rising carefully, he caged Kal's torso with his hands and knees, and then shifted to a three-point stance. Left hand still too cramped from the quill, Lex switched to the unfamiliar right, the different grip feeling as if it were the next step in a spell or ritual...like dancing widdershins. It was fast and rough, Lex marking his claim with a part of himself as well as with the arcane symbols he'd inked. Panting, his limbs trembled; barely supporting him until Kal pulled him down, stroking Lex until he was quiet and willing to lie atop his broad emblazoned chest and rest.

 

**Chapter 8**

 

The marks stayed for days until the saltwater erased them, and then he missed them. He was almost sure that Kal did, too. He'd seen him tracing over the fading lines along his ribs and around his navel, a slight curve to his beard-shrouded lips, green eyes dreaming in the sun. A shrug and an apologetic look had answered his casual request for more of the fruit, leaving Lex doubting his assumption that Kal had enjoyed that day. Doubting, that is, until it dawned on Lex that pomegranates had a limited season, September through December.

. . .

 

Floating above the reef, he'd admired the glossy shell Kal had retrieved for him from the deepest section of the coral barrier. "It's beautiful. You know...you could make a lot of money from underwater salvage with your natural advantages. Buy anything you wanted, live anywhere...Kal?"

He'd had to swim into shore by himself, hoping that Kal was somewhere below him keeping the sharks away.

. . .

 

He'd slept alone the night he'd suggested that Kal could be a one-man construction firm, and that he'd bankroll him in a minute because he knew the investment would pay off in no time.

. . .

 

The chess set didn't survive Lex's next jab at Kal, and Lex learned just how dangerous his war of words could be...for him.

Holding the darker king between his thumb and forefinger, Lex studied it with a smirk. Without looking up, he remarked casually, "You could be one of these, Kal, probably the greatest the world has ever seen. I could help make it happen."

Snatched from Lex's hand, the rough carving became dust and splinters, joining the remains of the chessboard on the packed sand under the chess tree. "What the...? Kal!" Any further protests were cut off when he was thrown down on the mattress in the cave, already stripped and short of breath. Kal stood over him, his own chest heaving as his biceps tightened and released along with his enormous fists. Lex was almost certain he caught a flash of red deep within the furious green eyes, but he was too distracted to investigate further.

"Kal, are you...." His lower lip split under the precipitous descent of Kal's mouth, his breathing still labored under the press of Kal's heavy body. "Ouch, Kal! Stop...slow...dow...." Hands that were shoving ineffectually at broad shoulders switched to fists pounding on ribs as Lex kicked and squirmed, trying in vain to get free. He hissed in pain when Kal grabbed both of his wrists in one hand and pinned them above his tossing head, kneeling over Lex and running his other hand roughly down Lex's struggling body. "Stop, Kal! You don't want to do this!" An ill-trimmed nail caught the edge of Lex's navel and several beads of blood rose to quiver and then break, slipping along Lex's side to stain the sheets beneath him.

Dissatisfied with Lex's limp response to the brutal treatment, Kal frowned and looked around the cave until he spotted the shreds of Lex's clothing. Reaching out, he snagged a sleeve and tore it free with his mouth. He wrapped the cloth around Lex's wrists and then tied it tightly so that he would have both hands free to deal with Lex as he pleased. The addition of a second strip of cloth anchoring Lex's bound wrists to the pallet guaranteed that he would be unable to use his hands to continue to fight Kal.

"Kal, this isn't you. Please stop and think. You'll hate yourself later." Lex stilled his struggles and switched to a calm, rational tone. He'd never seen the other man so quietly...even murderously...furious before, and it was frightening Lex. He knew he stood no chance of defeating him physically, so he was reduced to appealing to Kal's better nature, hoping it would surface before Kal went too far. "Let me go, Kal and we'll talk. Whatever I said...I'm sorry. Please don't do this...not this way."

Closing his eyes, Lex willed himself not to harden when Kal sucked him into the furnace of his mouth. His hips thrust involuntarily, but he was able to stay mostly soft by focusing on the bruises and strained muscles he was beginning to feel over most of his body. When Kal moved lower, separating Lex's thighs and settling between them, his heated breath washing over the sensitive area, Lex moaned and bit his lower lip until he could taste nothing but the heavy, metallic tang that trickled down the side of his jaw. He jerked when Kal's tongue tasted what his strong hands had revealed, and Lex knew he'd lost, his surrender tendered with a sigh. "Kal...please...don't...stop."

Sensing Lex's complete submission, Kal stopped long enough to release his hands, which immediately sank deep into Kal's hair. Tugging Kal close, Lex thrust his tongue deep inside his mouth, exchanging blood for the dark flavor Kal had been chasing a few moments before. Shoving down on Kal's shoulders, Lex urged him to resume his former position. "More!" Nipping along Lex's twitching belly on his return journey, Kal stopped long enough to tease the aroused length that Lex was no longer trying to keep suppressed. Lex groaned and thrust wildly, not caring that a lesser man would have been choked with his actions. "Kal, now!"

Obeying the hands that continually pushed downward, Kal palmed Lex's buttocks and raised him from the mattress to meet his mouth, his tongue immediately drilling deep, teeth scraping edges gently. Lex's feet drummed against the quilted cotton while his fingers yanked on hair that fortunately remained anchored to Kal's head despite Lex's desperate strength. They had never penetrated each other before with more than a finger or two, and Lex wondered why he'd been so slow to take that next step with Kal. One of those fingers joined Kal's agile tongue, pressing in and upwards, and there was nothing but white lightning before a plunge into black.

When Lex awoke some time later, he was clean, dry, and alone.

. . .

 

It took several hours for Lex to find Aker. The young cat usually came running at Lex's call, knowing he would be feasting on fresh fish. The rest of the time, he was the quintessential independent feline, only showing up occasionally to accept petting or to take a quick nap next to Lex and Kal. Unfortunately, those halcyon days were at an end.

Picking up his limp body, Lex carried Aker back to the cave, stumbling now and then over roots or stones he couldn't see through the film of tears. A single heartbroken call brought Kal speeding to his side, and Lex appreciated the arm that slipped around his waist as they entered the cave together.

Setting Aker carefully down next to the fire, Lex knelt down and stroked the soft gray fur, murmuring soft apologies the cat would never hear. There were no wounds, no broken bones to explain why, and only a bit of green froth held a clue. Lex had seen Aker chewing leaves and grass in the past, and he could only assume the cat had encountered something poisonous.

Picking up the old shirt that Aker preferred to sleep on, Lex wrapped him in it and regained his feet. He carried him, with Kal close behind, and pointed to the shaded spot next to the chess tree where Aker would lie and watch them play game after game. "Dig it deep."

It was done in seconds and Lex gently placed Aker in his final resting place. Stepping back, he gave Kal space to fill in the hole and tamp down the sandy earth. Lex stood there for a moment, silent, Kal's warmth at his back, and then he made his way to the freshwater pool where tears could wash away unseen.

. . .

 

Kal stood just inside the cave entrance and watched as books, pottery and clothing were flung about without care or caution. "You'll give me anything I want. I make a wish and the next day it's here. Anything, except what I really want. My life. I want my life back!" Turning his back on Kal, Lex collapsed on the slashed mattress, huddling with his knees pulled up, containing the rage and frustration inside, along with the despair.

. . .

 

Shifting the fresh loaf of bread to the side, Lex pulled the newspaper free, wondering at the surprising change in Kal's delivery. He'd never brought any newspapers or magazines in the past, as if he were trying to keep the outside world forgotten. Backing up, Lex sat on the edge of the pallet while he read the headline of 'The Daily Planet' and tried in vain to keep his hand from shaking.

'Search Called Off For Luthor Heir'

The lead article summarized Lex's abbreviated life and provided details about the lengthy search conducted for the Learjet tragically downed on a honeymoon flight. The reporter had interviewed his widow, reporting on her intense devotion to the memory of a husband who'd sacrificed his life for hers by insisting that she use the only remaining parachute. The final paragraph announced that Lex's memorial service had been scheduled for the following day.

Methodically tearing the newspaper into strips, Lex silently fed it to the fire. Bitter words greeted Kal when he stepped into the cave. "You've certainly made things clear. I have no life to go back to, so I guess you win." Standing, Lex stripped with sharp, quick movements, and then climbed onto the mattress, rolling onto his back with arms and legs spread wide. "Here I am, Kal. Fuck me. Take me dry and fuck me hard, just like the rest of the world has."

When Kal shook his head and left, Lex lay there unmoving, staring up at nothing, the damp patch beneath his head spreading as silent tears rolled unchecked down the sides of his deliberately impassive face.

 

**Chapter 9**

 

The steady thud of Kal's heart calmed him while strong arms held him, safe from the night terrors. He nuzzled deeper into soft skin and licked with the tip of his tongue, tasting salt and smoke. A broad palm swept along his spine pulling him closer with a soft, wordless murmur. The soft crackle of the fire and the chirr of insects lulled him back to sleep between one deep breath and the next.

. . .

 

Lex wasn't sure what had awakened him, whether he'd heard a certain sound, or registered the lack of one. Kal was gone and, if the coolness of the sheets on his side of the pallet was anything to judge by, it had been a while since he'd left. Lex wasn't really been surprised. It had been several days since Kal had brought back any fresh food from off the island.

Rolling to his side and lazily watching the fire burn low, he began to wonder if he'd earned Kal's trust, at least enough to be shown how he obtained the items not native to the island. Recalling the one time he'd attempted to spy on Kal in the night by following his roars to the center of a dark clearing, Lex began to feel uncomfortable at his capacity to ignore the fact that Kal had been in agony. At the time, he'd been unfamiliar with his captor, and the fact that he'd been in pain had made no real impression on Lex. All that had changed, and the knowledge that each time Kal roared at night meant he was undergoing the same torture distressed Lex. Thought engendered action, and Lex jumped up, eager to investigate and discover what he could do to alleviate Kal's suffering.

Hurrying to the clearing, Lex made no effort to be quiet, sacrificing stealth for speed. When he arrived, the clearing was empty, the half-moon providing just enough light for Lex to be sure that he was alone. That changed when he heard a sound high overhead that seemed to be approaching his position rapidly. With a thud, Kal was there, dropping from the sky like a stone, his pained roars announcing his arrival. Dropping his burden, he tore at the flames that writhed across his chest, his face contorted as he screamed epithets at his invisible tormentors. He knelt there, alone in his anguish until Lex ran forward, eager to help.

Kal's horrified shout masked the sound of breaking bones.

"Nooooo! Lex!"

. . .

 

"Tell me...why." When Kal heard the halting whisper, he finished placing the cool, damp cloth on Lex's bruised forehead before nodding in agreement.

He'd spent the last few hours splinting Lex's fractures and bathing away the blood and dirt from the multiple wounds, whispering apologies for each wince and whimper he jolted out of Lex. The worst was the compound fracture of his left tibia and fibula a few inches below the knee. Lex had lost consciousness when Kal had begun to lift and straighten the bones, attempting to draw them back through the lacerated skin and muscle without causing further damage. Lex's collision with the tree had caused most of the damage. He considered himself lucky that it was his leg and not his back that had taken the brunt of the blow after he'd startled Kal.

Stroking Lex's head gently, Kal began. "I caused this. The meteorites that landed in Smallville came with my ship."

"A...alien?"

Still avoiding Lex's eyes, Kal agreed. "Yes. My home planet was called Krypton, but it's gone now. The meteorites were pieces of it. I...I'm the only one left, at least that's what my father claims."

Lex's rasping voice made Kal flinch. "If you're...only one, how...?"

Lifting the cloth from Lex's forehead, Kal rinsed it out and gently bathed away the sweat released after an injudicious movement on Lex's part. Another rinse and he carefully placed it back over the purpling bruises. "My parents thought I was about four years old when I landed and they kept everything a secret from me until I turned sixteen. I knew I was different than anyone else, but I thought it was because of the meteorites, like some of the other people in the town." He winced and shrugged. "There was an accident and I should have been killed, and I didn't understand how I survived. That's when they showed me the ship and we used the key to open it."

Kal stood and looked down at Lex, tension in every line of his body. "That was probably the biggest mistake we ever made. If we'd just left it alone...." Filling a mug with water, Kal knelt back down to help Lex lift his head enough to take a sip.

Swallowing and then licking his lips, Lex panted from the pain, yet still asked, "What happened?"

Gathering up the bloody cloths and the first aid kit, Kal avoided answering until Lex made an impatient sound. "The ship opened and it... an artificial intelligence told us it was the memories of my father, Jor-El. It also explained that he and my mother sent me away to save me since no one would listen to them when they warned about the planet exploding." Placing a few branches on the fire, Kal watched it flare up before turning back to Lex. "It wasn't until later, when the people who adopted me were away from the farm, that Jor-El told me the rest."

Kal grunted and curled forward, his hand hovering above the livid scar as fresh sweat broke out on his forehead. His nostrils flared as he set his jaw and continued, "I was sent to conquer Earth. All my abilities, all of the things I can do...." He clawed at his chest and panted. "He did this to me when I refused, threatened my family and friends."

Lex could see Kal was in pain, something he'd never seen outside of the clearing before. "Kal, what's going on?"

"He...I destroyed the ship. I filled it up with the meteorites and it exploded. They hurt me, too, but I found a way...not enough...." Kal fell over, writhing on the stone floor.

Despite his own injuries, Lex tried to reach out to Kal. "What do you need?"

Kal shook his head, groaning. "Ring...can't use...anymore."

Puzzled, Lex looked at Kal's hand where the gold ring with the red stone had always been before. When he saw that it was missing, he glanced around the cave searching for it. His pain flared with the movement and he raised his good arm to his forehead to pull the damp cloth free. As he did, the glint of the ring on his forefinger caught his eye. "Kal, why?" His hand flopped back down and landed on Kal's shoulder. Kal caught his breath and Lex could feel the muscles relax beneath his hand.

"The ring...the stone is cut from a meteorite, not the kind that hurts me. It helps me keep Jor-El out of my head, helps the pain." Panting, Kal lay still under Lex's hand, as if fearing to lose contact. "There's another installation that I couldn't get to, in the caves. All I could do was run...fly...far enough away that he couldn't control me. All I need is the sun, but you...whenever I go...."

Realizing that the ring he was wearing relieved Kal's pain as long as Lex made sure it was touching his shoulder, Lex insisted, "He hurts you every time you...? Fuck! Take the ring back, Kal!"

Kal set his jaw and shook his head firmly. "I can't. The red, it...I'm not...me when I wear it. I don't care what's right, I take whatever I want." His eyes closed and a tear coursed down his cheek. "I hurt you, Lex."

"I'll heal. Take the ring." Lex tried to scrape the ring off against Kal's shoulder, his broken arm preventing him from using his other hand. "Kal, you have to use it."

"No, just give me a few minutes, Lex." Sweeping his arm across the floor, Kal dragged the first aid kit closer. He opened it and extracted the syringe he'd prepared earlier. Grabbing Lex's wrist, he flipped his hand over and deftly slid the needle into the large vein on the back before Lex could say a word.

"What...you...morphine." Lex felt his muscles melting into the mattress and struggled to keep his eyes open.

He failed.

. . .

 

"I have to take you back." Kal bathed Lex's face and chest tenderly, his face haggard beneath his beard, visible even in the dim firelight. "The infection is getting worse and I'm afraid it's...."

Lex caught Kal's hand in his own and shook his head. "Gangrene. It's not, Kal. Give me a little more time." Closing his eyes, he attempted a smile. "Tell me more. Tell me about those caves you mentioned before."

Sighing, Kal rose and headed for the rear of the cave. Lex opened his eyes in curiosity at the silence, but he couldn't see where Kal had gone. There was a blur and Kal was back. He knelt next to Lex and placed something in the palm of his hand. "This is the key. It opened the ship and it also activates a panel in the caves."

Lex raised the object close to his eyes to examine it. Flat, metallic, it was octagonal and had symbols engraved into it, symbols Lex didn't recognize. He tried to hand it back to Kal, but he refused it, closing Lex's fingers over it.

"My father...the one who raised me...not the bastard trying to control me, almost died when he used the key in the caves. He was caught up in some kind of beam with me. It taught me the language while it almost fried his brain." Stroking the back of Lex's hand, Kal frowned. "Sometimes, I just want to take the key and drop it in the middle of the ocean so that Jor-El won't be able to tempt me with what's behind that wall, but something always stops me."

Lex nodded, understanding that Kal wanted someone else to take the burden, even if for just a little while. "I can hold on to it for you, if that'll make it easier."

Nodding gratefully, Kal explained, "I think the worst part was leaving everyone I knew. I never had many friends, but they...and my parents. I miss them. It was better after you came, but I should have...." Kal pressed his face into Lex's side. "I'm sorry."

Lex could feel his fever rising again as he battled to stay conscious. "It was an accident, Kal. I don't blame you." Dropping the key to the mattress, he stroked Kal's tangled curls. "I want you to put the ring back on, Kal. The pain is too much for you. I can see it in your face." His fingers clenched when Kal shook his head with a muttered refusal. "Stubborn fool." As he slipped into the darkness, he thought he heard Kal whisper, "I love you, Lex. I always will."

 

**Chapter 10**

 

"Son, I can understand needing time to adjust after so many months _away_, but selling most your holdings and investing in Smallville? I have to question your judgment."

Lex rolled his eyes at the snide tone issuing from the speaker phone. "Question away, Dad. Just don't expect any answers. While I appreciate your efforts to keep my estate out of the hands of my beloved _ex-wife_, I think I can handle things from here on out. Thanks for calling." Disconnecting without waiting for a reply, Lex swung his chair around to stare out his office window at the gardens just coming into bloom. The finger bearing a gold ring with a fire-red stone absently traced the scar in the center of his upper lip as he reviewed his plans.

When he'd been released from the hospital, he'd wasted no time in returning to work, picking up where he'd left off. Tracking down his errant wife, he'd made it clear that in return for an immediate divorce with no settlement, he'd neglect pressing charges against her for attempted murder. Diving back into the social whirl, he'd escorted a bevy of beautiful women to premieres and openings after spending his days slicing his way through the financial world.

It had taken less than five weeks for Lex to decide that the life he'd fought so hard to regain wasn't worth the cost. Traffic noise kept him awake, the smells of the city nauseated him, and every glimpse of dark curls forced him to stop and watch until he could be sure he didn't recognize the face and figure beneath them.

A few phone calls and a day later, he'd found himself driving down a gravel road looking for the turnoff leading to the Kent farm. The day after that, he'd purchased a moldering mansion at the outskirts of town and the defunct creamed corn plant that had been standing vacant for years.

He estimated that by the time the first roses were in bloom, he'd be ready to launch. There was a distinct advantage in having almost unlimited resources at your command when you wanted to move fast. The meteorite cleanup was progressing well, and the collected fragments were being stored until Lex was ready to use them. The Kawatche caves had been declared a bio-hazard site due to the recent discovery of a toxic waste dump. They'd been fenced off and the perimeter was patrolled to prevent anyone from entering. The robotics division of Cadmus Labs had reported progress on the prototype Lex had commissioned.

The plant was being re-tooled and would be a fully functional bio-chemical research facility by the end of summer. That fit well with the rest of his projections and he didn't bother to suppress a grin of satisfaction. A few more weeks and he'd be on his new boat, heading for the location he'd pinpointed using the stars he'd watched for so many nights and the documented dates of volcanic eruptions. It turned out that the odd cloud formation he'd noticed several times matched an active volcano in the Southwest Pacific, not far from a chain of uninhabited islands.

Getting up from his chair, he walked over to the Gauguin hanging on the wall and moved it to reveal a small wall safe. Entering the code, he opened it and pulled out a small velvet bag. Tipping the contents onto his palm, he studied it, just as he'd done every day since he'd found it in the bag of possessions that had been handed to him as he departed the hospital. Stuffed into a corner of his closet and forgotten, some random fit of sentimentality had led him to pull out the ragged, blood-stained clothes. The metallic clink of the ring and the octagon as they fell on his desk had brought it all back.

He knew that soon he was going to find Kal, and then he'd repay him for everything that had happened on the island.

. . .

 

"Stupid alien. How did he expect me to be able to get in there?" Muttering under his breath, Lex continued to dig under the edge of the massive boulder he'd noticed during his previous searches on the island. He'd estimated that with the removal of a cubic foot of sand under one side, he'd be able to topple the rock with a lever...and a great deal of luck. Once shifted, he could squeeze through the crevice into the hidden cave where he was certain he'd find Kal.

When he'd arrived on the island, he was dismayed to find no evidence of recent habitation. The cave's contents had been scattered by animals and all the trails had become overgrown. Even the dolphins had left the area. Only his deep conviction that Kal hadn't left the island kept Lex there, determined to find him and he'd searched until he'd found the suspicious-looking crevice once again.

 

Judging that he'd shifted enough sand to try, Lex wedged the end of the heavy branch under the rock, propped up another much smaller stone. Using all of his weight, Lex pressed down and then shouted in triumph as the rock rolled exactly where he'd planned. Dropping the branch, he dusted off his hands and then took a deep breath and shoved his way into the dark hole.

Playing his flashlight over the walls, Lex began to doubt his success when he found nothing to indicate Kal had ever been there. Pushing on, he made his way carefully over slick rocks, still searching. He'd almost reached the end and was about to abandon hope when he slipped and fell, losing his flashlight. Muttering under his breath about clumsy fools, he made his way over to where the flashlight had rolled to a stop, freezing when he saw a faint movement against the far wall.

"Kal?" Scooping up the flashlight, he pointed it at the base of the wall and gasped when he saw pale skin stretched over bone. "Oh my God, Kal!" He stumbled across the uneven floor of the cave and dropped to his knees beside the still figure. His shaking hands slid over chilled flesh, searching for some sign of life. "Kal, please. Say something."

"Lex." The whisper was so faint that Lex almost missed it, but it was enough for him to gather Kal up in his arms and hold him close. "Lex...here?"

"Yes, I'm here, you stupid fool." Rubbing any piece of skin he could reach, Lex tried to rouse Kal further. "What have you done to yourself?" He almost sobbed in relief when Kal began to move in arms, almost strong enough to shove Lex away.

Eager to get Kal out and into the sunlight, Lex tried to help him stand, but Kal pushed him back and curled up on the rocky floor of the cave. "Don't. I'm too weak to fight him anymore. Please, you have to let me die or the world will suffer."

"I'm here to save _you_, Kal. I don't give a damn about your father or the rest of the world."

Knowing that he'd already set the communications on the boat to relay the uplink to the satellite, Lex hurried back outside the cave and pointed the transmitter toward the conning tower. Entering the preset code, he pressed send, and then he was finished. The robot would place the key in the wall, the panel would open, and the kryptonite he'd collected and stored in the caves would detonate. All he had to do was to go back inside and wait beside Kal. Gathering up several blankets and bottles of water, he made his way back inside, hoping that something would happen soon.

His wish was granted with surprising speed. By the time he'd reached Kal's side, he was writhing on the cold rock, tearing at the brand that burned with renewed fury across his chest. His scream of agony tore at Lex, and he began to wonder if Kal would survive the destruction of his father's avatar.

Well aware that he could be badly injured again, or possibly even killed by a thrashing limb, Lex stayed just out of range, ready to run to Kal's side as soon as the spasms passed. A cry that could never be uttered by any human shattered the air, and Kal's body was surrounded by brilliant white light that winked out instantly.

When the afterimages finally cleared, Lex ran to Kal's prone body. Rolling him over carefully, he smiled in satisfaction at the smooth skin revealed. Kal was breathing without difficulty and Lex pulled his head and shoulders into his lap to wait for him to wake.

The stiffening of the muscles beneath his hands alerted Lex to Kal's return to consciousness before dark lashes fluttered open. Puzzled dark eyes stared up into his, searching for answers until a flush bloomed on high cheekbones, and Kal looked away. Struggling to sit up, he mumbled, "Sorry," but that was all.

"Kal? Are you okay? Are you in any pain?"

A quick shake of his head, and then Kal was edging toward the distant entrance. "I can't...I'm not...." He turned his head towards the beach and Lex could tell he was peering through the rock. "You have a boat. Good." His head dipped and he choked out. "I have to go...back. You'll...you'll be all right now." With one of his lightning-fast moves, he returned to Lex and pulled him up from the cold floor. The kiss was gentle, sweet, and much too short for Lex. As Kal released him and backed away, he whispered, "I'm sorry that I hurt you, Lex."

The next instant, he was gone.

 

**Epilogue**

 

The sound of a car stopping behind him didn't disturb a preoccupied Clark. The smooth voice that came from about a foot behind him did. "A penny for your thoughts?"

Not bothering to turn around, Clark shrugged. "I understand that you can afford to pay a lot more these days."

Leaning dark-clad forearms next to his on the bridge's railing, Clark's visitor chuckled. "I could, but I've been finding out that I'm a traditional kind of guy."

Sneaking a glance at Lex's face, Clark was relieved to see him smiling, not frowning in the anger he expected. "Should I expect pistols at dawn? Listen, I'm sorry that I left you there like that, but..." He turned his body to allow him to look at Lex better. "...I'm not Kal, not anymore." He gestured down his flannel and jeans-clad body and grinned ruefully. "Clark Kent, high-school senior, klutz and all-around loser. This is me. This is who I am."

Shifting to face Clark directly, Lex shook his head. "I have to disagree. You're both. Kal's still in there, he's a part of you, Clark, and one you shouldn't throw away." He slowly raised his hand and ran the back of his fingers along the dark-stubbled jaw, remembering how it had felt on his skin. "He helped you...us survive some very dark times. Thinking about what Kal went through to try to keep the world safe...has changed me and I think it's for the better." He was encouraged to continue when Clark half-closed his eyes and nuzzled into the pale hand that caressed him. "They weren't all bad, those days on the island. Can you tell me that you regret everything that happened, that you regret...me?"

Shimmering gold-green eyes flew open and choked words spilled free. "You? Not you, Lex, not what we...did. I regret keeping you a prisoner. I should have taken you back to the mainland that first day, but somehow, I...." He glanced away, his throat working convulsively before he could continue. "I was selfish and, even though I fell in love with you, I ended up hurting you. I'm sorry."

Pulling Clark into his arms, Lex hugged him close. "You caused me even greater pain when you left me that day. I loved you, and I'd believed that you felt the same." When he felt Clark's shoulders begin to shake, he soothed him. "I still do love you, you know, whether you're Kal or Clark or someone in-between." He pulled back far enough to look into Clark's face. "Did you think I was just going to forget what we had, and walk away?"

Clark shook his head slowly, a smile blooming beneath the tears. "I've been watching the stars every night, and wishing, hoping for a fairytale ending."

Lex tipped his head back and stretched up a little to kiss Clark lightly. "Then it's a good thing I _am_ a traditional kind of guy." He grinned and brushed back the dark curls he'd missed. "I've come to believe that wishes _can_ come true...and that with some hard work and determination, it's possible to live happily ever after."

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the 2007 undermistletoe challenge. Prompt: Beauty and the Beast. What's the SV version of this fairy tale? You can keep as many elements of the plot as you want, or you can simply focus on the themes/morals of the story instead. Many thanks to my beta jakrar who once again worked on short notice, all remaining mistakes are 100 percent mine.
> 
> An interesting exploration of _Beauty and the Beast_ can be found at: http://www.surlalunefairytales.com/beautybeast/other.html#BEAST1. This adaptation incorporates a number of details lifted from the different versions out there. Of course, then it was CLexified.


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